Bow-facing oar.



No. 767,214 PATENTED AUG. 9, 1904.

I J. H. DURANT.

BOW FACING OAR. APPLIUATION FILED 0013.13, 1903.

no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 767,214- PATBNTED AUG. 9, 1904.

J. H. DURANT.

BOW FACING OAR.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 13, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

J 9 2 45 44 58 W/m m' I m wane/mm UNITED STATES Patented August 9, 1904.

ATENT @rrrcn.

BOW-FACING OAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,214, dated August9, 1904.

Application filed October 13, 1903.

T0 (til whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. DURANT, a subject of the King of England,residing at Harrisville, in the county of Cheshire, State of NewHampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBow-Facing Oars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to rowing apparatus, and has particular referenceto bow-facing oars.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheap, durable,efiicient, and otherwise highly-satisfactory means for propellingrow-boats or other small water-craft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bow-facingoar of such acharacter that should one part thereof become broken or otherwisedamaged the injured part may be readily replaced.

A still further object of the invention resides in a structure whereinthe stroke of the oar may be rendered adjustable.

A still further object lies in a peculiarly constructed and formed oarincluding means for effecting a cushioning action between certain partsthereof.

lVith these and other objects in view the present invention consistsalso in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinaftermore fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may bemade within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a boat havingmy improved oar secured thereto. Fig. Q-is a detail plan view, on anenlarged scale, illustrating the followerblock in contact with a buffer.Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4

is a detail perspective view of the follower- Serial No. 176,914:- (Nomodel.)

block. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the cushioning-block orbuffer, including the spring member thereof. Fig. 6 is a sectional viewon the linea a of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 isa detail sectional view of amodified means of mounting and connecting the handle and blade stocks.Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing oar applied.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the reference character1 designates a row-boat havinga plate 2, of metal or other suitablematerial, secured to its inner wall by means of screws or otherfastenings 3, the upper surface of said plate lying, preferably, flushwith the upper edge of the boat and havinga central opening 4 therein,forming a seat for the reception of the reduced end 5 of the oar-lock 6,whose upper end is bifurcated, forming the ears 7. The oar-lock thusformed is held within its seat by means of a fastening 8, as wellunderstood.

Pivotally connected to the upper extremities of the ears 7 is a plate 8,of metal or other suitable material, having an elongated longitudinalopening or slot 9, within which and at the upper end whereof is arrangeda block 10, having oppositely-disposed vertical grooves 11, adapted toaline with corresponding grooves 12 in the inner face of the slot 9,pins, keys, or other fastening means being inserted within thecorresponding grooves to retain the said block in fixed position. Thisblock-1O is provided with a central bore 14, which terminates short ofone end thereof, and is adapted to receive a plunger 15, having a head16, between which and the bored end of the block is arranged acoilspring 17 encircling the plunger and adapted to hold the plungerfree from the end of the said bore for apurpose hereinafter explained.It is to be understood, however, that the block 10 may be secured withinthe slot 9 in any other suitable manner and that the same, with itsadjunctive parts, forms a cushioning means between the plate 8 and theinward stroke of the follower-block.

Loosely mounted for pivotal movement upon the plate 8 is arranged anoar-handle stock 13, of any suitable material, the pivoted connectionbeing made by means of a bolt or the like 19 piercing the opening orperforation 20 at the extreme inner end of the plate and passing throughone of a plurality of perforations in the stock, the bolt or the likehaving a head 22 at one end and screwthreaded at its opposite end forthe reception of the nut 23, thereby preventing accidental displacementthereof. As willbe understood, the bolt 19, which is engaged with theperforation 20, may be engaged interchangeably with the perforation 21to vary the stroke of the oar. The inner end of this stock is enlargedin cross-sectional diameter and provided with a central bore 2 L for thereception of the handle proper, 25, which is secured therein by means ofthe fastening or other element 26. The extreme opposite end of the stockis reduced to form a tongue 27, adapted to be fitted between the spacedears 28 at the inner end of the blade-stock 29, formed of any suitablematerial, the tongue and ears being pierced by a pivot-pin 30, having ahead 31 at one end and its opposite end riveted or otherwise formed torender the pin immovable.

Mounted within the slot 9 is a followerblock 32 of any suitablematerial, having its upper portion flanged on either side, as indicatedby the reference character 33, the under surface of the flangecontacting with and sliding upon the upper face of the plate 8 and theremainder of the block sliding within the said slot.

The oar-blade stock 29, above mentioned, has one of its ends enlargedand provided. with a central bore 34 for the reception of the reducedend 35 of the oar-blade proper, 36, a fastening 37 of any suitablecharacter being employed to secure these two elements together. A headedpivot-pin 38 pierces the stock 29 and penetrates the follower-block 32,having its free screw-threaded end protruding beneath the under face ofthe plate 8 and provided with a nut 39, a washer 40 being disposedbetween the nut and the under face of the plate to insure againstdislodgment thereof and to permit the same to work with thefollower-block within the slot 9.

The flanges 33 cause the upper face of the follower-block to setslightly above the upper face of the plate 8, which, together with thewasher 4L1, encircling the pivot-pin and disposed between thehandle-stock and plate 8, supports both stocks above the plate for apurpose well understood.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings'there is illustrated a modified constructionbetween the handle and blade stock connections 18 and 29, respectively.For instance, circular grooves 42 may be formed in the inner faces ofthe ears 28 of the blade-stock and corresponding grooves 43 arranged inthe outer faces of the tongue 27 of the handle-stock, forming racewaysfor the reception of bearing-balls 44, for a purpose well understood.However, these ball-bearings are not absolutely essential to an easymanipulation of my improved oar, I mentioning them simply for the reasonthat conditions may arise warranting their employment. It will thus beseen that the handle and blade stocks being pivoted together can beswung backward and forward in a horizontal plane with relation to eachother, the follower-block contacting with the cushioning means in theslot at every long stroke of the oar to prevent undue jarring orpossible injury to the other elements, and that, the plate 8, upon whichthe stocks are pivotally mounted, being in turn pivotally supported uponthe oar-lock, a vertical swinging movement is permitted also, thusproducing a bow-facing oar well arranged and adapted for rowing the boatequipped therewith.

It will of course be understood that the handle and blade proper,together with their respective stocks, may be formed in single pieces,if desired. My reason for forming them as herein described is because Iam enabled to remedy a possible defect or injury to any part of each oarby simply removing the defective or injured element without entailingthe expense of a complete oar.

I claim 1. A bow-facing oar comprising a pivotallymounted plate having alongitudinal slot therein, a follower-block arranged to slide within theslot, a sectional oar having one of its sec tions pivotally connectedwith the followerblock and slidable therewith, a buffer disposed withinthe slot, said buffer comprising a block having recesses in its sidesregistering with recesses in the sides of the slot, and a pin engaged ineach pair of registering recesses to hold the buffer within the slot,said buffer being disposed for engagement by the follower-block.

2. A bow-facing oar, comprising a pivotally-mounted plate, and asectional oar slidably and pivotally connected thereto, one section ofthe oar being constructed and arranged for adjustment upon the plate toregulate the stroke of the oar.

3. A bow-facing oar, comprising a plate having a longitudinal slottherein, a lender arranged at one end. of the slot, a follower-blockarranged to slide within the slot and abut the buffer, and an oar madeup in detachable sections, one section having a pivotal connection withthe follower-block, and another section having an interchangeablepivotal connection with the plate, said sections being pivotallyconnected together.

4. A bow-facing oar comprising a pivoted plate havinga longitudinal slottherein, a buf- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oftwo Witnesses.

JOSEPH H. DURANT.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. ALLEN, MARY L. COLONY.

